Vault-head.



A. W. KURZ.

' VAULT HEAD. APPLIOATIOIf IILBD MALZB, 1904.

Patented May 11, 1909.

THE NORRIS PEfLRs 00., wasumarou, t r.

human sraras Pannier critics.

AUGUST W. KURZ, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

VAULT-HE AD Specification of Letters. Patent.

Patented May 11, 1909.

Application filed March 28, 1904. Serial No. 200,258.

The objects of this invention are to provide a structure of the character indicated, which shall be simple and inexpensive as regards construction; durable, elhcient and reliable in practical service which shall embody elements relatively adjustable to suit conditions involved in the installation of the completed structure for service, together with elements whereby are secured important results in connection with the displaceable lid made use of, particularly its application to, and displacement from, the main member of the construction,"which shall be attractive in appearance; and which shall possess certain well-delined advantages over prior analogous structures.

The invention consists in the novel disposition and relative arrangement of the various cooperating parts thereof, whereby the attainment of the above objects are rendered practicable; in certain combinations; and in certain details of construction,

all of which will be specifically referred to.

hereinafter and set forth in the appended claims.

The invention isiclearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference-numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, andas to said drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan View of a vault head embodying my said improvements, the lid made use of occu ying its normal osition. Fig. 2 is a vertica section taken a 011g the angular line aa of Fig. 1,'the lid aiorenamed being shown as having been fully displaced from its normal position. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showlng one of the novel separators availed of, detached from the general construction, the scale being enlarged.

In a general sense my present invention comprises a main member; a hood conjoined therewith and a tongued separator, the latter being interposed between said hood and said member, and its tongue serving to facilitate the assembling of the respective aforenamed parts for service.

It further comprises a main member forming a manhole; a lid for normally spanmng said manhole, said lid being linked to said member, interiorly thereof, for a displacing movement mainly in a horizontal plane; and means for limiting the horizontal displacing movement of said lid to one direction only.

It still further comprises a main member forming a manhole, and a lid, the latter normally spanning said manhole, and being linked to said member, interiorly thereof, for a displacing movement in a plurality of varying planes.

Having reference to the accompanying drawings, 2 denotes the main member forming the manhole for the general construction, as in common practice; 3 the hood availed of or spanning a portion of said manhole and 4 the lid made use of for normally spanning the remaining portion oi. said manhole, the said lid approximating the form of a grate or otherwise, as conditions. may warrant.

The hood 3 has a depending lip 5, oftset inwardly at its juncture with said hood, and thereby forming for the latter an exterior shoulder 6, co-extcnsive with the rear portion and opposite sides of said hood.

7 denotes a separator, interposed between the shoulder 6 and the adjacent edge of the member 2, said separator having a tongue 8 depending therefrom.

9 is afastening bolt, which projects through the lip 5, adjacent wall of the member 2, and the tongue 8, to receive a nut 2, the relative arrangement of said tongue with respect to said separator being such that, when said separator is in place, the tongue 8 lies along the outer surface of said wall of the memher 2.

Under the foregoing disposition. of the parts,the member 2 at all times presents nonangular supporting resistance to the hood 8, or, in other words, a direct supporting resistance in contradistinction to that resistance which the member 2 presents'to the hood 3 where the bolt 9, arranged at right angles to the wall aforenamed of the member 2, becomes a factor in the presentation of such supporting resistance.

It will be understood that the dimensions of the separator 7 may be materially varied, and that the vertical adjustment of the hood 3 with respect to the member 2, may be varied accordingly. it will be further understood that a plurality of separators such as herein described, may be employed when necessary or desirable.

To permit the above-named adjustment through wl'rich the bolt 9 passes, should be vertically elongated, substantially as shown in the drawings.

The member 2 is provided, interior-1y thereof, with a projection or web 4t, and therewith the linl: 5 has a limited sliding engagement, said linh being conjoined with, and depending from, the lid l.

By preference the link 5 has the form of a rod, and penetrates the projection l by wag of a suitable opening 6 formed therein.

A stop 7 is firmly conjoined with the link 5, below the projection 4, said stop accordingly serving to prevent the disengagement of said linla; upwardly from said projection.

Under normal conditions the lid 4 rests on ledges, (one of which is clearly indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and denoted bf; the reference-numeral 8), arranged interiorly of the member 2, at the opposite sides thereof, each of said ledges being somewhat (lOWir' wardljy" removed from the upper edge of the wall of the member 2 along which it runs, as in common practice. Accord the lid l must necessarily undergo an initial displacing movement somewhat upwardly, in order to clear the walls of the member 2 for a final displacing movement in a substantially horizontal plane, the axis of which final displacing movement is deteanined by the link 5, and the latter, in this instance rotatin in the web or projection 4 and moving with the lid l when such lid is thus horizontally moved; and to permit the foregoing initial displacement of the lid 4-, the distance in the clear between said lid, and the stop 7 along said link, should be equal to, or greater than, the combined thickness of said projection and the height of the vertical wall of member 2 above the projection or web 4. If, however, it is desired to limit the motion of the lid to an upward radial motion in a vertical plane the said distance between the point of connection of said link with said lid and the point of location of stop '7 along said link may no less than that before stated. If the said distance described is thus reduced the lid then ma be only lifted at its free end, the end loosely sccured to the manhole remaining on and turning on the lid seat immediately thereunder. Obviously two links may be used in this case one at each corner of the same end of lid or if one link is used it is then preferably located at the middle of the side which is loosely secured to the manhole to prevent twisting oil.

of the hood 3, the opening 3, in the lip 5,

e the form of a collar, porlace b moi-rue of nut l ta -n it is hole opening, l provide moans lo.- I? lilting us horizonta movement in :1. dirs tion t thehood, l.)(i:,'0'r1tl act-.1" :1 point, h consi ting of suitable si t h the lid t to (less k (7' In low? (l .3 HUNG-N1 hil Lo Lufijik' lh tlrllJvll 1n vement in the opposite du stop 2 here shown as couslitulu of the hood 2. and a coo iicratrx a 1 its} osuluui "huh in; sup ort accord istao, .ud between a and the lid. which lilfiililla'ls of 1h .erid construction are .'tf$jl %uil\'i"l siroxfio wrw' ing, the one to pcrmai'untll. span a portion of the manhole aforenamcd, and tin; o'llu'r to (llSlI-llldtlitlllja' span the remaining portion oi said manhole, and bc limited to a disile. iug movement than rom in one dirritioo onl along a horizontal plane, h, d hood.

The link 5 may be conjoined i llu- 4 in an appropriate manna but to i';

a disph movonnint of plurality of YE be loosel conjo the medium of a pivot or pinth To facilitate the ar usioivnt oi the hood with respe ;.t to the -=dirr 2, l form grall two or more lie r'srpniltidirs 7', differ in sparing tidth from the oihr others, and each hit-v9 a toirgu; 1%, llur providing a mu tiplr, tong d siparul or evil calculated to pro tonsrrudiou a plurality or of spa. mg oidtlis for ing the adjustment of the hood 3 will: reference to tho meniho l.

Vfhere single tongucd separators or" nu:v ing spacing \ridth (such as lirst hrrrin d scribed), are employed in the :uljustor. id of the hood 3 with respec to the mend-r r 23, some of a given spacing width are liable to be interchanged for others of a dillerent spacing \ridth, or hr lost in transit or oliurwise, tliorcb -y edlllfil lfl' drhr. and. i; ounu ienccinthcworkolinstallii lrlK:(Hlfill'llddliil as a whole; and such objectioualde Monti gencies are well on ziorue h; the llllllili? tongued separator above drsrihrd.

Yrhen the separator is usrd \aith the tongues as drxssribed. and. illustratml the same affords but two sp g widths. in 'l' *s'il, however, two additiorurl spacing idths our. be made use of in said sepaimm' if dosirvd by plat-icing the one or the othrr of the tom along its greatest dimension in a position with. its .llat side prrh ruddy the depending lip of the hood, in \xhi. h vase it will, obviously, however, rcouiri that the separator be secured in some manner to the hood and that the hood be secured separately to the main member.

The operation the construction will be apparent from the foregoing description thereof.

It will be seen that my present invention is partieularli" well adapted to conserve the purposes for which it is intended, and further that the same may be modified to some ex tent without materially departing from the spirit and principle thereof.

Having thus described my invention wh at I claim and desire to secure by Letters-P-atent, is:

1. In a vault head, the combination with a main member forming a manhole,.and a mod permanently spannin a portion or said manhole; of a lid for no; all y spanningthe remaining portion of said man-hole, said. lid bi .ig loosely conjoined with said member, interiorly tl'lQf-GOf, for a rotary displacing movement in a horizontal plane, and said hood projz-ieting above the upper edges of the inn member and forming a stop to limit the rotary movement of the lid toward the hood when the latter is replaced, substantially as dose-ribed.

2. In a vault head, the combination with a main member forming a i'nanhole, and a hood crossing said manhole transversely and permanently spanning a portion thereof, of a lid for normally spani'iiiig the remaining portion of said. manhole, said lid being pe manently joined to said member interiorly thereof by a loose conneetion one of the sides or corners oi the lid for a rotary displacing movement in a horizontal plane, the said hood projecting above the top of the main member to forma stop to limit the rotary movement of said lid beyoi'id the hood when the lid is being rcplai-ed, substantially as described.

3. A vault head comprising a main member forming a manhole, a lid for normally spanning said man hole, and a link connecting the lid and the mam member, the said link being so connected to the main memberv that it is free to move relatively thereto but not become detached therefrom, and so connected to the lid, that the lid has a movement relative to the link without detachment therefrom, whereby the lid is allowed a tree displacing movement in a number of planes, substantially as described.

l. A vault head comprising a main member forming a manhole and having an interior projection; a lid for normally spannin said manhole; and a link loosely conjoine with said lid, the said link loosely connecting said lid with the projection aforenamed, for a displacing movement on the part of said. lid in a horizontal plane or in a lurality of radial vertical planes, substantial y as herein specified.

5. A vault head comprising a main member forming a manhole and having an interior projection provided with an opening; a lid for normally spanning. said manhole; and a rod-like link, the latter penetrating said projection by way of the opening therein, being suitably conjoined with said lid for an upward radial movement in a vertical plane, and having a permanent stop arranged therealong, below said projection, substantially as herein specified.

6. A vault head comprising a main member forming a manhole and having an interior projection provided with an opening; a lid for normally spanning said manhole; and a rod-like link,'the latter penetrating said projection by way of the opening therein, being suitably conjoined with said lid for a combined upward radial movement in a vertical plane and a rotary movement in a horizontal plane, the said link having a permanent stop arranged therealong below the said projection, substantially as described.

7. A vault head comprising a main member forming a manhole and having an in terior projection provided with an opening; a lid for normally spanning said manhole; and a rod-like link, the latter penetrating said projection by way of the opening therein, being loosely conjoined with said lid, and having a stop arranged therealong, below lgiaid projection, substantially as herein speci- 8. A vault head comprising a main member forming a manhole and having an interior projection provided with an opening; a lid for normally spanning said manhole; and a link, the latter penetrating said projection by way of the opening therein, being pivotally conjoined with said lid, and having a collar arranged therealong, below said projection, the said collar being held permanently in place by a nut, substantially as herein specified.

9. A vault head comprising a main member forming a manhole; a hood for normally spanning a portion of said manhole, the said hood having a depending lip takinginto said member; a tongued separator, interposed between said hood and said member; and means for applying a clamping force to the lip of said hood and the tongue of said separator, the wall of said member lying between said lip and said tongue, substantially as herein specified.

10. A vault head comprising a main mem ber forming a manhole; a hood normally spanning a portion of said manhole, said hood having a depending lip taking into said member; a tongued separator, interposed between said hood and said member; a headed fastening bolt, the latter projecting through the lip of said hood, through the adjacent wall of said member, and through the tongue of said separator; and a nut on said bolt, and whereby a clamping force may be applied to said lip and said tongue, the wall of said member lying between them, substantially as herein specified.

11. A vault head comprising a main member forming a manhole; a hood normally spanning a portion of said manhole, said hood having a depending lip taking into said member, and provided with a vertically elongated opening; a tongued separator interposed between said hood and said memher; a headed fastening bolt, the latter projecting through the lip of said hood by way of the opening aforenamed therein, through the adjacent wall of said member, and through the tongue of said separator; and a nut on said bolt, whereby a clamping force may be applied to said lip and said tongue, the wall of said member lying between them, substantially as herein specified.

12. For a vault head comprising a main member and a hood, a multiple separator for insertion between said hood and member, the said separator embodying a plurality of different spacing widths, and a plurality of tongues projecting therefrom, substantially as herein specified.

13. For a vault head comprising a main member and a hood, a multiple separator for insertion between said hood and said member, the said separator embodying a series of d'fierent spacing widths, substantially as described.

14. In a vault head, a lid having a link at all times pivotally attached thereto, the said link being in turn at all times directly conjoined with the vault head by a loose connection so as to permit the lid being raised to an inclined or vertical position, substantially as described.

15. A vault head comprising a main member formed with an opening therein, a noncircular lid adapted to close said opening, means for loosely connecting the lid to the main member, said means permitting the lid to be raised above the main member and then rotated to uncover the opening and being of such length that it will prevent the lid from being dropped through the opening in the main member.

16. A vault head comprising a main member formed with an opening therein, an upstanding flange around a portion of said opening, a lid adapted to fit within said upstanding liange, means for loosely connecting the lid to the main member, said means being of such length that the lid may be lifted above the flange and rotated.

17 A vault head comprising a main member formed with an opening therein, a lid for closing said opening, a link for loosely connecting the lid to the main member, said link being permanently and llexibly connected to said lid and of such length as to permit the lid to be bodily lifted a predetermined distance, and being so connected with the lid as to permit said lid to be swung laterally on said link, and a stop on the lower end of said link to prevent the upward withdrawal of the link from the main member.

18. A vault head comprising a main member formed with an opening therein, an upstanding flange around a portion of said opening, a lid adapted to fit within said upstanding ilange, and a device flexibly connected to the lid and freely movable through the main member for a limited distance, andv a rigid stop on said device preventing the disconnection of the device from the main member but permitting the lid to be bodily lifted to free it from the upstanding flange, whereby said lid may be lifted above said llange and then swung laterally.

19. A vault head comprising a main member formed with an opening, a lid adapted to span said opening, a device loosely connecting the lid to the main member and adapted to permit said lid to be bodily lifted above the opening and to be then swung laterally therefrom, and a stop to prevent the with drawal of the connecting device from the main member, whereby the lid may be bodily lifted and swung laterally, but cannot be dropped down through the opening in the in am member,

AUGUST W. KU R71. \Vitnesses W. H. RUBY, F. B. WRIGHT. 

